Alternatives to Wheat Flour

photo from Nourishing Gourmet

I have begun to manifest symptoms of a sensitivity to wheat again.  Periodically, when I have been feeding my body too much wheat, I will start to wake up achy.  When I cut out wheat, I stop waking u achy.  So today was day one.  It has been really hard.  Especially when I had two kids with a tummy bug and dad brought home a box of saltines to help settle the tummy.  But I did it.  I made it through the day without eating anything with wheat in it.  But that didn't stop me from having a "bread" with dinner and a dessert afterward.  


So what is the secret?  COCONUT FLOUR


I found several recipes that substituted coconut flour for wheat.  I made honey muffins and brownies.  The honey muffins where very good.  The brownies were alright.  I think it was the cocoa that I used though.  I think next time I will use chocolate powder instead of cocoa powder.  Hopefully it will have a lighter flavor.  Of course, it's also possible that I am looking to make brownies like I used to make from  box.  Does that tell you how long it's been since I made brownies?  Anyway, I'll post the recipes below.  I am having so much fun finding all these different alternatives to the foods that I love to eat.  I used to be afraid of trying to things.  Not anymore.  


By the way, I found these recipes at www.tiana-coconut.com.

Honey Muffins

  This is a basic coconut flour muffin recipe you can use to make a variety of muffins.

Ingredients

3 eggs
2 tablespoons TIANA Organic Virgin Coconut Oil or butter, melted
2 tablespoons TIANA coconut milk or whole milk
3 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup sifted TIANA Organic Coconut Flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder

Method

Blend together eggs, butter, coconut milk, honey, salt and vanilla. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and thoroughly mix into batter until there are no lumps. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 205C (400F) for 15 minutes. Makes 6 muffins.

Brownies

Ingredients

1/3 cup TIANA Organic Virgin Coconut Oil or butter, melted
½ cup cocoa powder
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sifted TIANA Organic Coconut Flour
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Method

In a saucepan at low heat, blend together butter and cocoa powder. Remove from heat and let cool. In a bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in cocoa mixture. Whisk coconut flour into batter until there are no lumps. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into a greased 11x7x2 or 8x8x2 inch pan. Bake at 175C (350F) for 30-35 minutes.